Joseph Vollmer
Encyclopedia
Joseph Vollmer was a German
automobile designer and engineer and a pioneering tank designer. As chief designer for the German War Department's motor vehicle section, he designed the World War I
German tanks A7V
, K-Wagen, LK I
and LK II
.
. He attended the Municipal Trade School and after graduating in 1886 went to Cannstatt, to take up an apprenticeship as a mechanic in the Maschinenfabrik Esslingen
. In 1894 he completed his engineering studies at the Technikum Mittweida in Sachsen.
's automobile division in Gaggenau
, beginning over 100 years of automobile construction in Gaggenau with the "Orient Express" automobile.
In 1887 Vollmer moved to the Kühlstein Wagenbau
company of Berlin-Charlottenburg.
From 1901, he worked for AEG
, where in 1902 he became head of their NAG
subsidiary. All vehicles produced by AEG-NAG until 1906 were produced under Vollmer's direction and were designed by him, including the world's first truck
, the DURCH tractor-trailer of 1903.
In 1905 Vollmer married Hedwig Stöhr, with whom he had two daughters; they celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 1955.
Vollmer left NAG in 1906 and together with his friend Ernst Neuberg founded the Deutsche Automobil-Construktionsgesellschaft (DAC).
German tanks A7V
, K-Wagen, LK I
and LK II
, to join the Skoda
company for whom he designed a wheel/track light tank, the KH-50 (Kolo-Housenka). This design had roadwheels mounted on the drive sprockets and jockey wheels behind them to support the tracks. Despite impressive specifications for the period - 13 mm armour, 37 mm turret-mounted armament, and a 50 hp engine capable of driving the tank at 8 miles per hour (12.9 km/h) (on tracks) and 22 miles per hour (35.4 km/h) (on wheels) - it was rejected by the Czech army.
The army was, however, impressed by the hybrid wheel/track concept and commissioned further studies, which resulted in the KH-60 (1928–29) and the KH-70 (1930). In these two designs the engine power was increased to 60 hp and 70 hp respectively and a better system was developed for switching between track and wheel use which allowed a change in less than 10 minutes.
2 KH-50 prototypes were built, one of which was later converted to a KH-60 and the other scrapped. Actual production included 2 KH-60s to the USSR and 1 KH-70 to Italy
. The wheel-on-track concept was finally abandoned in 1934.
During the course of his career Vollmer was granted 450 German and foreign patents. His life's work was honoured by being awarded the Bundesverdienstkreuz
(Federal Cross of Merit).
Joseph Vollner died after delivering a lecture in the Volkswagen
factory in Brunswick
on October 9, 1955.
In 2005 his hometown of Baden-Baden dedicated a bridge to him. The Joseph Vollmer Bridge is located between Europastraße/B500 and Schwarzwaldstraße. He had previously had a street in Ortenberg
named after him: Joseph-Vollmer-Strasse.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
automobile designer and engineer and a pioneering tank designer. As chief designer for the German War Department's motor vehicle section, he designed the World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
German tanks A7V
A7V
The A7V was a tank introduced by Germany in 1918, near the end of World War I. One hundred vehicles were ordered during the spring of 1918, but only 21 were delivered. It was nicknamed "The Moving Fortress" by the British because of the shape of the hull...
, K-Wagen, LK I
LK I
The Leichter Kampfwagen or "LK I" was a German light tank prototype of the First World War.-History:The LK I was designed by Joseph Vollmer. It was based on a Daimler car chassis, using the existing axles to mount sprocket and idler wheels. Its design followed automobile practice, with a...
and LK II
LK II
The Leichter Kampfwagen II or "LK II" was a development of the LK I with the same layout, but incorporating a rotating turret on the rear superstructure armed with a 37mm Krupp or Russian 57mm Sokol gun. Its armor was 8 to 14mm thick, which increased its total weight to 8.75 tons...
.
Early life
Born the son of a master locksmith, Vollmer grew up with three brothers in Baden-BadenBaden-Baden
Baden-Baden is a spa town in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is located on the western foothills of the Black Forest, on the banks of the Oos River, in the region of Karlsruhe...
. He attended the Municipal Trade School and after graduating in 1886 went to Cannstatt, to take up an apprenticeship as a mechanic in the Maschinenfabrik Esslingen
Maschinenfabrik Esslingen
Maschinenfabrik Esslingen , was a German engineering firm that manufactured locomotives, tramways, railway wagons, roll-blocks, technical equipment for the railways, , bridges, steel structures, pumps and boilers.-Founding:...
. In 1894 he completed his engineering studies at the Technikum Mittweida in Sachsen.
Career
Vollmer's career as an engineer and automobile pioneer began at BergmannTheodor Bergmann
Theodor Bergmann was a German businessman and industrialist best remembered for the various revolutionary firearms his companies released. Like many entrepreneurs of the era, his activity was centered on bicycles and the nascent automobile...
's automobile division in Gaggenau
Gaggenau
Gaggenau is a town in the district of Rastatt, in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is located some 8 km northeast of Baden-Baden.- Geography :...
, beginning over 100 years of automobile construction in Gaggenau with the "Orient Express" automobile.
In 1887 Vollmer moved to the Kühlstein Wagenbau
Kühlstein
The Kühlstein Wagenbau in Berlin-Charlottenburg was a coachbuilding company that produced electric cars from 1898 to 1902. Some were vehicles of in-house design, others were Jeantaud cabs built under licence. The firm also built tractor units to replace horses for use with horse-drawn carriages....
company of Berlin-Charlottenburg.
From 1901, he worked for AEG
AEG
Allgemeine Elektricitäts-Gesellschaft was a German producer of electrical equipment founded in 1883 by Emil Rathenau....
, where in 1902 he became head of their NAG
Neue Automobil Gesellschaft
Neue Automobil-Gesellschaft was a German automobile manufacturer in Berlin.In 1902, German electrical company AEG purchased the coachbuilding side of Kühlstein under engineer Joseph Vollmer, renaming it NAG...
subsidiary. All vehicles produced by AEG-NAG until 1906 were produced under Vollmer's direction and were designed by him, including the world's first truck
Truck
A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, with the smallest being mechanically similar to an automobile...
, the DURCH tractor-trailer of 1903.
In 1905 Vollmer married Hedwig Stöhr, with whom he had two daughters; they celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 1955.
Vollmer left NAG in 1906 and together with his friend Ernst Neuberg founded the Deutsche Automobil-Construktionsgesellschaft (DAC).
World War I
During World War I, Vollmer acquired the rank of Captain, and as chief designer for the German War Department's motor vehicle section, he designed the World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
German tanks A7V
A7V
The A7V was a tank introduced by Germany in 1918, near the end of World War I. One hundred vehicles were ordered during the spring of 1918, but only 21 were delivered. It was nicknamed "The Moving Fortress" by the British because of the shape of the hull...
, K-Wagen, LK I
LK I
The Leichter Kampfwagen or "LK I" was a German light tank prototype of the First World War.-History:The LK I was designed by Joseph Vollmer. It was based on a Daimler car chassis, using the existing axles to mount sprocket and idler wheels. Its design followed automobile practice, with a...
and LK II
LK II
The Leichter Kampfwagen II or "LK II" was a development of the LK I with the same layout, but incorporating a rotating turret on the rear superstructure armed with a 37mm Krupp or Russian 57mm Sokol gun. Its armor was 8 to 14mm thick, which increased its total weight to 8.75 tons...
Post war
Vollmer subsequently moved to CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
, to join the Skoda
Škoda Works
Škoda Works was the largest industrial enterprise in Austro-Hungary and later in Czechoslovakia, one of its successor states. It was also one of the largest industrial conglomerates in Europe in the 20th century...
company for whom he designed a wheel/track light tank, the KH-50 (Kolo-Housenka). This design had roadwheels mounted on the drive sprockets and jockey wheels behind them to support the tracks. Despite impressive specifications for the period - 13 mm armour, 37 mm turret-mounted armament, and a 50 hp engine capable of driving the tank at 8 miles per hour (12.9 km/h) (on tracks) and 22 miles per hour (35.4 km/h) (on wheels) - it was rejected by the Czech army.
The army was, however, impressed by the hybrid wheel/track concept and commissioned further studies, which resulted in the KH-60 (1928–29) and the KH-70 (1930). In these two designs the engine power was increased to 60 hp and 70 hp respectively and a better system was developed for switching between track and wheel use which allowed a change in less than 10 minutes.
2 KH-50 prototypes were built, one of which was later converted to a KH-60 and the other scrapped. Actual production included 2 KH-60s to the USSR and 1 KH-70 to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. The wheel-on-track concept was finally abandoned in 1934.
During the course of his career Vollmer was granted 450 German and foreign patents. His life's work was honoured by being awarded the Bundesverdienstkreuz
Bundesverdienstkreuz
The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany is the only general state decoration of the Federal Republic of Germany. It has existed since 7 September 1951, and between 3,000 and 5,200 awards are given every year across all classes...
(Federal Cross of Merit).
Joseph Vollner died after delivering a lecture in the Volkswagen
Volkswagen
Volkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania.Volkswagen means "people's car" in German, where it is...
factory in Brunswick
Braunschweig
Braunschweig , is a city of 247,400 people, located in the federal-state of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located north of the Harz mountains at the farthest navigable point of the Oker river, which connects to the North Sea via the rivers Aller and Weser....
on October 9, 1955.
In 2005 his hometown of Baden-Baden dedicated a bridge to him. The Joseph Vollmer Bridge is located between Europastraße/B500 and Schwarzwaldstraße. He had previously had a street in Ortenberg
Ortenberg
Ortenberg may refer to two places in Germany:*Ortenberg, Hesse*Ortenberg, Baden-Württemberg...
named after him: Joseph-Vollmer-Strasse.